Born: 1975 (Saint-Denis, France)
Biography:
Myriam Lamare, a renowned French female boxer, was born on 1 January 1975, in Saint-Denis. Lamare’s father was French, while her mother hailed from Algeria. She spent her formative years in Aubervilliers, France, where she grew up facing financial constraints. At the age of 17, Lamare decided to leave school to support her family, and this led her to discover her passion for boxing.
With limited resources, Lamare had to pursue an amateur career as her parents were unable to enroll her in a boxing club. However, her determination and resilience propelled her to explore other combat sports as well, including athletics and full-contact karate. It was during her time working in a catering job in Martinique that Lamare began training in contact sports like full-contact kickboxing.
A turning point in Lamare’s life occurred when she caught the attention of an accomplished coach from Hatman Miloudi, a French boxing club in Bobigny. This expert coach recognized her potential and helped her transform from a regional-level fighter to an elite athlete in the French Federation of Savate (French boxing). Seeking improved training conditions, Lamare relocated from Martinique to Marseille after being awarded the title of vice-champion of France.
As an amateur boxer, Lamare accumulated an impressive record of 42 wins out of 45 fights. In November 2004, she achieved a major milestone by becoming the world champion in the super lightweight category. In this historic victory, Lamare defeated Eliza Olson of the United States and became the first female world champion recognized by the World Boxing Association (WBA).
Lamare’s reign as a world champion wasn’t short-lived. She successfully defended her title on 29 April 2005, when she triumphed over Ukraine’s Elena Tverdokhleb in front of a crowd of 7,000 spectators at the Palais des Sports in Marseille.
On 2 December 2006, Lamare faced a formidable opponent in Anne Sophie Mathis during her sixth defense of the world title. Dubbed as a killer in the ring, Lamare was defeated by Mathis via referee stoppage in the sixth round. This thrilling match was honored as the female fight of the year by Ring Magazine. A rematch between the two fighters took place in Marseille on 29 June 2007, resulting in the same outcome with Mathis dominating all 10 rounds.
Lamare faced another setback on 23 January 2009 when she lost to Holly Holm, the reigning Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) welterweight champion.
However, Lamare’s remarkable journey didn’t end there. On 9 October 2009, she claimed the vacant position of WBF welterweight champion by defeating Ann Saccurato of the United States.
Continuing her triumphant path, Lamare secured the IBF super lightweight world champion title on 5 November 2011. She achieved this remarkable triumph by defeating Chevelle Hallback in Toulon, France.
Throughout her career, Myriam Lamare not only showcased her exceptional boxing skills but also shattered gender norms and defied expectations in a male-dominated sport. Her dedication and passion for boxing have made her an inspiration for aspiring female athletes, cementing her role in women’s history.
Awards:
– World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Lightweight World Champion
– World Boxing Federation (WBF) Welterweight Champion
– International Boxing Federation (IBF) Super Lightweight World Champion